Sheffield's Jon Brown chases his third successive victory in today's Great North Cross Country challenge in Durham facing yet another outstanding African athlete, Million Wolde.
Wolde, winner of this year's IAAF world junior title in Marrakesh, is already being hailed as the successor to fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.
The 19-year-old, also world junior 5,000 metres champion, ran 12 minutes 59.39 seconds at Zurich in August, and has already shown all the attributes required to suggest he could eventually match the achievements of his mentor.
"That's the second fastest time ever ran over the distance by a junior," said Peter Elliott, elite athlete co-ordinator for the race.
"Only Daniel Komen's 12:56.15 three years ago in Rome is superior. He is a truly awesome talent."
Former Olympic 10,000 metres champion Khalid Skah of Morocco will fancy his chances over the fast course at Durham University, while Mohammed Mourhit from Belgium has shown he is in good form after finishing as runner-up in last month's European Cross Country Championships.
